Texas Biking November 19th 2019

Texbiker.net Posted on by

GPS Bike Trackers: find and follow your stolen bike

Michelle Arthurs-Brennan | www.cyclingweekly.com

Bike tracking devices and their supporting apps are designed to help reduce bike theft by alerting the owner if their bike is tampered with or moves.

Most trackers consist of an accessory, which is attached to the bike, and a phone app. With the app, the owner is able to trace the bike – even using it to alert the police to where the bike is being kept.

Most of the bike tracking accessories are small and lightweight, so that you’ll hardly notice it’s there other than the extra piece of mind afforded by its presence.

There’s a variety of bike trackers available – here’s a look at some of the options on the market …

Transportation Policy Council: October 25

H-GAC Transportation Newsletter: November 2019

… The TPC also approved a resolution supporting updates to the Federal Functional Classification System, which provides a framework for identifying the role of a roadway in moving vehicles through the network of highways. This update includes changes for Old Conroe Road from FM 1488 to 366. The change would consist of a reconstruction and widening of the two-lane facility to a four-lane with bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. The update would also include the widening of Greenhouse Road in West Harris County between Mound Road and Skinner Road and to be extended through a 6-lane underpass at the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and US 290 (with pedestrian and bicycle accommodations) to connect to Skinner Road just north of US 290. This project was selected in the 2018 Call for Projects and is programmed in the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). …

Former Hartlepool man saddles up for 100 mile cycle challenge in Texas countryside

By Mark Payne | www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk

Duncan Maclean, was born in the town and has lived in San Antonio, in the United States since 2001.

Next month, just after Christmas, he will push himself to cycle 100 miles around Leon Creek, in the San Antonio countryside on his mountain bike to raise money for the UK hospice that cared for his wife’s sister Melanie Nicholas.

Duncan, married to Delenia, and dad to Scarlett, 11, and Luke, aged nine, …

Wichita Bluff Nature Area Mysterious Oddities

Durango Texas | durangotexas.blogspot.com

Bike wheel rolling the Circle Trail hills in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area has become my new favorite endorphin inducing aerobic activity.

On my most recent wheel rolling at that location I came upon two mysterious oddities.

The first mysterious oddity is the …

Give Round Rock feedback for new Behrens Ranch Metro Park

By Albert | austinmountainbiking.com

If you’re in Round Rock, I just received an email soliciting feedback for the upcoming 224 acre Behrens Ranch Metro Park that is currently in development:

https://publicinput.com/5980

You can rank your priorities, so you can put "Trails" at the top in one question and "Mountain Bike Trals / Singletrack" at the top for another question. And there’s a comment section at the end, where I …

Texas Biking from Twitter

Tragedy on FM 1960 During Huffman Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

The ride started a little earlier than yesterday with wheels down and rolling at 11:21 AM. I headed south to bike the “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman” route. Optimistic about the weather I dressed lighter than yesterday with shorts, thermal long sleeve jersey, and a short sleeve jersey. The optimism proved correct and I felt comfortable the whole ride. The one iffy segment came while biking over Lake Houston with the water cooled from the recent cold weather.

Weather during the bike ride: start 74 (62% humidity, 59.8 dew point), a few clouds, wind W 5 mph. Finish 77 (50% humidity, 57.4 dew point), mostly cloudy, wind SW 5 mph. It should warm up a couple of degrees more for Wednesday’s bike ride.

I thought I would be the only biker out but I passed two others which I caught in the video.

Sadly I saw tragedy on FM 1960 as I rode west approaching E. Lake Houston Parkway. Red flashing lights and two lanes of traffic blocked meant something bad happened. You see it in the ride video about 2:20 into the video. A white cover on the ground over a body, a crumpled motorcycle laying in the grass, and emergency people on the scene. As I passed the fire truck in the grass a policeman talked to a person beside a white pickup. I thought I heard sirens as I rode east on Old Atascocita Road to FM 2100 but the City of Houston fire station is on FM 1960 so those sounds are not out of the ordinary.

My average speed did not match yesterday’s but I felt good and my legs powered the ride nicely. This route has a lot of starts and stops which can impact average speed.

11-19-2019 SportTracks Bike Ride Summary
11-19-2019 Strava Bike Ride Summary
Strava Year Progressions YTD Bike Ride Miles

Texas Biking November 18th 2019

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Podcast: Broadway bike lanes debate is winding down

Gilbert Garcia | www.expressnews.com

Puro Politics is a weekly podcast hosted by columnist Gilbert Garcia, covering the drama and nuance of local government issues. Produced by Joy-Marie Scott. After months of drama and discord, City Council appears to have put the brakes on Broadway bike lanes.

Last Thursday, the council unanimously approved a $6 million tax-increment-reinvestment-zone funding agreement for protected bike lanes on the downtown side streets of Avenue B and North Alamo. …

Upcoming Rides

Chasing Watts | chasingwatts.com

Wednesday Light Ride Wednesday, November 20, 2019 @ 6:30 PM

The Vite Ride | "Cortado" group Saturday, November 23, 2019 @ 7:00 AM

The Vite Ride | "Espresso" group Saturday, November 23, 2019 @ 7:00 AM

Sunday Blendin Sunday, November 24, 2019 @ 7:30 AM

Sunrise Sunday Service Sunday, November 24, 2019 @ 7:00 AM

Kingwood STBX Sunday Sunday, November 24, 2019 @ 7:30 AM

Monday Training

Eduardo Salas (Cyclones) | www.strava.com

Gettin’ Wack, Ridin’ to Mac. LBJ on the way back.

Alex Maldonado | www.strava.com

Watched a bobcat for a while after it jumped across the trail in front of me this morning.

Tuesday Ride

Mark Noblitt | www.strava.com

I think about Naji several times a week when I pass his ghost bike, but I always pause for a few minutes when I do so on Mondays. The poinsettias are a nice touch.

Texas Biking from Twitter

https://twitter.com/DPDBikeSgt/status/1196574122228142081

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Chilly But Warming Bike Ride to Tavola

Texbiker.net Posted on by

The clouds moved on and left a blue sky for today’s bike ride on the “New Caney – Tavola – Valley Ranch” route. I biked 34.85 miles getting the week off to good start. I waited a little before rolling the wheels at 11:46 AM. As I got ready to leave and started the PowerPod I got a message on the Wahoo Elemnt computer that the PowerPod battery was low. I don’t remember getting that alert before. I forgot to plug the charger up after yesterday’s ride. I plugged the charger into the PowerPod for a couple of minutes hoping that would get me through the ride. I doubt that really made a difference but the PowerPod stayed on the whole ride. At the end of today’s ride the PowerPod got plugged into the charger first and then my NiteRider taillight. I will be ready for tomorrow.

Weather during the bike ride: 67 (53% humidity, 49.9 dew point), fair, wind variable 5 mph. Finish 70 (48% humidity, 49.9 dew point), fair, wind NW 6 mph. I dressed somewhat like yesterday with shorts, leg warmers, thermal long sleeve jersey (not a heavy one though), windbreaker jacket, and regular gloves instead of the full finger ones like yesterday. With the sun out I thought my fingers would be warm plus a few degrees warmer today.

As I do when riding to the north I stopped at my wife’s grave site. Today I was surprised to see the marker in place.

I think it looks great. This location in the cemetery does not allow above ground markers unless four plots are involved.

Again today I built up my overall average speed as the ride progressed to 14.3 mph which I held for a few miles before it settled back to 14.2 mph. I wonder if the indoor riding, cooler weather, and light breeze contribute to this ability. This level came while I rode south back to Kingwood.

Tuesday’s weather forecast calls for a few degrees warmer with maybe some clouds. I plan on biking. I noticed Brownsville will be in the low 80’s. Tempting.

11-18-2019 SportTracks Bike Ride Summary
11-18-2019 Strava Bike Ride Summary

2019 total miles almost catching 2018, within 82 miles.

11-18-2019 Strava Year Progressions Graph